A luminaire is a system for producing, controlling, and/or distributing light for illumination. For example, a luminaire can include a system that outputs or distributes light into an environment, thereby allowing certain items in that environment to be visible. Luminaires are often referred to as “light fixtures”.
A recessed light fixture is a light fixture that is installed in a hollow opening in a ceiling or other surface. A typical recessed light fixture includes hanger bars fastened to spaced-apart ceiling supports or joists. A plaster frame extends between the hanger bars and includes an aperture configured to receive a lamp housing or “can” fixture.
Traditional recessed light fixtures include a lamp socket coupled to the plaster frame and/or the can fixture. The lamp socket receives an incandescent lamp or compact fluorescent lamp (“CFL”) discussed above. As is well known in the art, the traditional lamp screws into the lamp socket to complete an electrical connection between a power source and the lamp.
Increasingly, lighting manufacturers are being driven to produce energy efficient alternatives to incandescent lamps. One such alternative was the CFL discussed above. CFLs fit in existing incandescent lamp sockets and generally use less power to emit the same amount of visible light as incandescent lamps. However, CFLs include mercury, which complicates disposal of the CFLs and raises environmental concerns.
Another mercury-free alternative to incandescent lamps is the light emitting diode (“LED”). LEDs are solid state lighting devices that have higher energy efficiency and longevity than both incandescent lamps and CFLs. However, LEDs do not fit in existing incandescent lamp sockets and generally require complex electrical and thermal management systems. Therefore, traditional recessed light fixtures have not used LED light sources. Accordingly, a need currently exists in the art for a recessed light fixture that uses an LED light source.